Highway signaling apparatus.



E. w. vow. HIGHWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUGQ3. $914- 1,233, 43, Patented Sept. 4,1917.

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.4 TTORNE Y3.

E. W. VOGEL.

HIGHWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION nun AuG.3. I914.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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8. [NI [51V TOR.

A TTORNE E. W. VOGEL.

HIGHWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED ue.3. 1914.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET- 3.

; WITNESSES I [N VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y6 E. W. VOGEL.

HIGHWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3, \914.

1,238,848. Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

p\ I b66370.

I WITNESSES *4, 4-2 .50 [NI 1?, 5 wM/ 7 A TTORNL ya E. W VGGEL.

HiGHWAY SEGNALING APPARATUS.

APPUCATION men AUG. 2, 1924.

1,238,848. Patmted Sept. 4, 1917,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E. W; VOGEL.

HIGHWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MIL-4.3. 91,4.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SMEET 6.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNE Y s'rATEs Earner oeiaiirtl n.''

EUGENE w. voenn, or OAK PARK, ILLINQIQS, ASSIGNOR TO onroaeo Emma SIGNAL AND, SUPPLY COMPANY, or oanrnnrnasvmnn, rumors, a oonronarxon or ILLINOIS.

Application filed August 3,

Be itv known that-I, EUGENE W. VO EL, a

citizen of the United States,-residing at Oak. Park, .in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new'and use ful Improvements in Highway Signaling Apparatus, of which'the following isa specification. Y i l My invention relates to an automatic slgnaling apparatusdesigned to be placed at the intersection of a highway with a railroad track to give. warning of the approach of trains, or on a 'highway or street at the approach to-a draw or lift bridge to advise the public of the opening of the bridge, or in other analogous situations. Devices of this type are commonlyca'lle'd highway signals and are used most frequently at the intersection of a roadway orstreet with arailroad track. The preferred form of apparatus embodying my invention is shown and will be described herein as located at and particularly designed for the intersection of a street or-roadway witha' railroad track.

The invention contemplates providing a signaling apparatus comprising a flag with the word Danger or other suitable legend imprinted or displayed thereon, which is carried by a flag-pole projected out laterally over the highwayfrom its support, prefer ably in'a'normal'ly horizontal position, although the position mightbe oblique, if desired, and automatically vibrated or waved up and down on theapproach of a train. In addition, one or more illuminated signals are provided, electric lamps, for example, which are lighted during the period that the fiag vibrates, the lamps preferably giving out a series of flashes. The apparatus is also provided, preferably, with a hell or other audible signal which is kept in operation during the signaling period. The particular bell mechanism which I. have shown for producing the audi-le signal to accompany the waving of the flag is claimed herein only in combination with the other features'of the apparatusgthehell mechanism, per 86, being described Landclaimed in -my application Serial No. 839363, fSignal bell for railroad 1 service, filed May 18,1914.

' angles to Fig. 3 looking toward the flag;

ii eHwAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.-

, S peciiication of Letters Patent. Patented Sept-3.4, 191

1314. Serial No.854-R7 9.

' 'I:he invention .hontcmplates, further, pro- 1 yidlng the apparatus with an electric motor;

for driving all of the movingparts. The invention contemplates, additionally, the provision of a spring or other suitable counterbalancing device for the inner end of the flag-pole whereby this end of the pole may.

be made short without putting too much of 'a load onthe motor. As an alternative construction'I provide two flags operated by i the same motor and arranged so that one counter-balances the other. T The lnvention provides, furthermore, an

arrangement by which the cam mechanism for vibrating or waving the flag cannot back up the motor when the current is cut off.

The object of theinvention. is to provide highway signaling apparatus havingthe improved features above. adverted to and consisting of the new and improved constructions, arrangements and devices "to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure-1 is an elevation of the apparatus viewed as one would see it from the highway inapproaching the railroad track; I

Fig. 2, a detail sectional view'taken on 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view of the ap-' paratus showing the flag-pole as broken off I a little beyond its fulcrum point; i

Fig. 4, a sectional View taken at, right Fig. 5, a fragmentary section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '6, a similar view on line] 66 of, I

Fig.5; 1

Fig. 7, a detail view, in perspective, of the fixed contact forming part of the mechanism for interrupting the lamp circuit sho'wn par- 'ticuiarly in Figs. 5 and 5;"

Fig. 8, a perspective view of thebracket casting .on which the motor and thetrains driven thereby are mounted;

Fig. 9, a longitudinal sectional view of the spring device: for counter-,balancing the, short end of the pole;

Fig. 10, a. diagrammatic View to illustrate the general function and operation of the apparatus when located at the intersection of a highway with a railroad track; and

Fig. 11, a fragmentary sectional elevation illustrating the modification above referred to, in which there are two flags in counterpoised relation.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

By referring to Fig. 10 the relationship and operation of the principal elements of the invention as applied to a highway signal will be readily understood. A designates a flag which is waved or vibrated in a vertical plane by a cam B rotated through a reducing train of gears by a motor C. D is a bell having a rocking clapper E which is brought against the bell by a weight F that is ntermittently raised and released by a snail cam G driven from motor C. H designates an electric lamp carried by the flag A, and J a stationary, lamp. Either one or both of these may be employed The lamps are on a circuit K which is a shunt from the motor circuit L. Current is supplied from the generator M. N is a cam wheel driven from the motor C which makes and breaks the light circuit by efi'ecting a separation of contact 0 and P. As the lamps will ordinarily be lighted only atnight, the lamp circuit is provided with a switch Q.

The motor, and when desired, the lamps, are supplied with current automatically on the approach of a train by any suitable a paratus employed for the operation of automatic railroad signals. I have shown 'for this purpose a track circuit system. The track R is divided by insulation into two blocks 7*, r, the insulation between the two blocks being substantially at the highway S. T, T, designate the track batteries and I an interlocking relay of conventional type. On the approach of a train from the left, the left-hand magnet of the relay drops its armature closing the circuit through the generator and motor. When the train passes over upon the block 1" the left-hand magnet picks up its armature and breaks the circuit, stopping the operation of the'signaling apparatus. The armature of the right-hand magnet is held up when a train passes from west to east on the block 1*, as is well understood by those familiar with this type of apparatus. The operation of the interlocking relay is reversed but with the same effect when a train approaches a highway from east' to west.

I will now describe the mechanical construction of the signaling apparatus of my invention.

The flag and the mechanism for moving it.

25 designates a casing having a socket 26 for mounting it on a pole 27. The danger flag A is supported on a tubular stand or tion roller 32 which bearings formed in against which bears flag-pole 28 formed with gudgeons 29 mounted in bearings 30 in a housing 31 formed on the outside ofthe casing 25. The inner end of the flag-pole carries an anti-fricbears against the cam a shaft 3 3 turning in a bracket member '34 (Fig. 8) secured to one side wall of the casing 25. The bracket member has a platform 35 supporting the motor C. The shaft 33 has fixed thereon a gear wheel 36 driven from a pinion 37 on the armature shaft of motor C through a train of reducing gears 38, 39, 40, 41.

In order to lighten the load on the motor which would otherwise be considerable, in view of the fact that the inner end of the flag-pole 28 against which the'cam B operates is much shorter than the outer end, the leverage of which is further increased by the weight of fla A, I rovide a counterbalance for the shorten of the pole constructed, preferably, as follows: A coiled spring 42 surrounds and is anchored at one extremity 43 to a shaft 44 mounted in bearing blocks 45 on the side wall of the casing 25. The other end of the spring is attached at 46 to one of the bearing blocks 45. The shaft 44 has a squared end 47 for a disk 48 having a grooved perimeter formed with a series of circumferentially arranged perforations 49. The short end of the pole 28 is securedto the disk 48 by a link and pin 51, the latter being passed through one pair ofperforations 49 after the spring 42 has been put under torsional strain by the application of a wrench to the squared end 47 of shaft 44. The adjustment of the link 50 on the disk 48 will, of course, depend upon the weight of the outer end of the flag which the spring 42 is intended to counterpoise.

In order to prevent the weight of the flag and the cam B from backing up motor C if the mechanism were stopped withthe parts 110 in a position making this possible, I provide the shaft 33 with a ratchet wheel 52 a dog 53 pivoted between lugs 54 on the bracket member 34.

Instead of having a single flag counter- 115 poised as above described, it will be possible to provide two flags. A, A, as shown in Fig. 11, projecting from opposite sides of the casing 25' and driven by a pair of oppositely arranged cams B. B aflixcd to the 120 same shaft 33 and driven by the motor as above described. With an arrangement such as this one flag will be up While the other is down, so that one counter-balances the other.

The bell.

The bell D is supported on a standard 55 on the top of casing 25, the clapper E, which is in the form of a bell crank, being pivoted at 56 on the standard 55. The clapper is 131 B which is fixed to connected by a pivoted link 57 with an ope ating rod 58 to which is secured a weight 59.

The lower end of the rod 58 carries an anti? friction roller 60 which bears upon the snail cam G. v The latter is on the same shaft ,61 with a gear wheel 62 meshingjwith a gear wheel 39. An elastic pad 63 is arranged on period.

. the electric lam p H which, as shown in Figs.

the top of casing 25 to receive the weight 59; The cam G,revolved by motor C, raises the weight and then releases the'same. The Weight throws the clapper against the'bell.

The light signclsf The casing 25 is preferably formed with.

light openings, for example, one in each side, which are provided'wit h lenses 63. The

electric lampd is arranged withinthe cas mg so as to pro ect beams'of light through the lenses 63. (which may be suitably colored, if desired), during the signaling I also preferably providethe flag itself with'one or more lights, for example, with 1 and 2, is arranged at the outer end of the flag-pole 28 in a spherical casing 64 which is providedIwith-lenses 65. The 'wires ofthe light circuit Kextend through the tubular portionpffthe flagpole into the casing 25.

Preferably the light signals are of the flashingtype. To this end an interrupter is provided for the light circuitwhich is operated from motor C. iKeyed tofishaft 33 is a metal disk 66,130 whicl1-is-secured,"by

' 7 screws the'fi'ber-cam wheelN having on its perimeter thesteel cams 68 which operate against a..roller-,. 69-. (Figs. 5 and 6 attachedf to a spring membfer. 70. anchored at oneend 71 to thebracket member 3a and carrying at its opposite end a carbon contact block 72 which, is brought against a carbon block ",tion, Therefore 'I do not wish to be understood as llmlllll'lg the invention to such par- 73 secured to a terminal plate 7:4 havinga binding post 75 for the light circuit wire,

said terminal plate being fastened "to an insulating bloclrf76 which is mounted on' a" lug 7'? forming a part of the bracket member 34-. The'contacts 72, 'Z3,a re brought to gether'each time one of the cams 68 engages the roller 69. 3 l v "embodied in a certain preferred form of ap- 'While I have described my in ate as paratus, the particular embodiment of the invention is not essential. Modifications might be made in the'form, arrangement and construction of the apparatus without departure from the principles of the inventicular arrangements, constructions and ole- Vices except so far as liniited by the language of the appended cla1ms.

I claim:

'1. In ahighway signaling apparatus, the combination With a 'support, oi a danger flag which progects laterally from. sa d suppor-hmeans for vibrating said flag, an electrio signal lamp, and means for causing the 3 same to be illuminated in flashes'durin'g the period oi'each vibrationof the fiag;

2. In a highway signaling apparatus, the

combination with a support, of'a Ida-nger flag which projects laterally from said sup-,

port, a bell, a motor, and cam mechanism driven thereby at diil'erent speeds for yibrat ping said flag and ringing said hell.

3. In a highway signaling apparatus, the

combination with a danger flag'di'sposed in "a substantially horizontal position, "a bell and an electric signal lamp, of a motor, and

mechanism driven by said motorfor imparting a seriesof yibratinginovem'ents to the flag, sonndmg'the bellyand making and breaking the lamp circuit a plurality of timesdnring eachcycle of operation of the t f 1" v 4. In a highway'signaling' apparatil's, the

combination. with a danger flag, disposed in a; substantially horizontal position, bell and an electric signal lamp carried by said;

flag, of a motor, and mechanism driven .by, said motor for imparting ajseries of 'vibrat ing movements to the fiag,-soun ding the bell I andmaking and breaking the lamp circuit-a plurality of times during eaeh'cyQleQOf 1 operation ofthe flag.

-5 In a highway signalingapparatuspthe combination with acasing, of a danger flag ,"fnlcrumed onsairl casing, a motoriln sald casing, scam to vibrate said flag, arcane,

ing trainbetweensaid motor and said cam,

-, 'a bell, and a cam driven by saidmotor at adifi'erent speed from said firsthmentioned cam for operating' the bell. V l w 5. In a highway signalingvapparatus, the

cornbination with a casing formed with .a" light opening,

ing, a danger fiag fulcrumed on said (3&S1Ilg,'

of a signal lamp in said casmechanism for imparting 'a succession of yibratory movements to the flag, and mechanism for. automatically lighting signal lamp in a series of flashes when the danger flag isvibrated;

a 7. In a high'w'vay signaling apparatusgthe ,combination 'witha casing formed-'with -a' 11s s ng, a danger flag fulcru'nied on said, casing, mechanism for imparting a succession v of light opening; of a signal lamp in said casvibratory movements to the flag, andv mechanism for automatically lighting 'said signal 1 120- i lamp intermittentlywhenjthe dangerfiag is niahin and hre'ailriru the lam circuit 1 a plurality of times during each cycle of operation of the flag. I 9. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a danger flag fulcrumed on said casing, a cam to impart a series of vibrating movements to said a motor for driving said cam, a bell, a cam driven by said motor for sounding the bell, a signal lamp carried by said flag, and inter rupting mechanism driven by said motor for making and breaking the lamp circuit so as to emit a series of flashes during each cycle of operation of the flag.

10. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with 'a' support, of a danger Y flag fulerumed near its inner end on said support, mechanism for vibrating the flag, a

counterbalancing spring engaged with the short endof said flag to lessen the load on the vibrating mechanism, and means'for varying the tension of said spring.

11. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination witha support, of a danger flag fulcrumed near its inner end on said support, mechanism for vibrating said flag, a. torsion spring engaging the short end of the flag to lessen the load on the vibrating mechanism, and means for varying the torsion of said spring.

12. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a danger flag fulcrumed near its inner end on said support, mechahismior vibrating the flag comprising a cam which bears against the short end of said flag and couutcrbalancing means engaged with said flag at said end to lessen the load on the cam.

13. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a danger flag fulcrumed near its inner end on said support, mechanism for vibrating the flag, a revoluble disk, a helical spring anchored at one end to a stationary part of the apthe apparatus.

paratus, means for securing the other end of said spring to said disk, and a link connecting the short end of said flag with said disk.

14. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a danger flag fulcrumed near its inner end on said sup port, a cam bearing against the short end of the flag, mechanism for driving said cam, a revolubly mounted disk, a helical spring anchored at one end to a stationary part of I means for attaching the other end of said spring to said disk, and a link connecting the short end of said flag with said disk.

15. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a support, of a flag fulcrumed on said support, a cam for vibrating the flag, an electric motor for driving the cam, and locking means for preventing the aforesaid mechanism from backing up the motor when the current is cut off.

16. In a highway signaling apparatus, the a for automatically lighting I in a series of flashes during each vibration of 120 arm, mechanism for imparting a succession of vibratorymovements to said arm, and means for illuminating said light signal with a series of flashes during each period the said arm is being vibrated.

17. In a'higl'iway combination with a support, of an arm disposed in a substantially horizontal position, an electric lamp signal on said arm, a motor, mechanism driven by said-motor foriimpartmg a succession of vibratory movements to so send arm, and means for illuminatin sai d lamp signal with a series of flashes uring' each period the said arm is being vibrated. 18. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a posed in a substantially horizontal position, an electric lamp signal on said arm, a motor, cam mechanism driven by said motor for imparting a succession of vibratory movemcntsto said arm, and means for illuminatmg said lamp signal with a series of flashes during each period the said arm is being I vibrated.

. 19. In a highway combination with a crumed near its inner end on said casing and projecting laterally therefrom, a stationary lamp signal in said casing, a second lamp signal on said arm, a

signaling apparatus, the

cession of vibratory movements to said arm, and means of illuminating said lamp signals with a series of flashes during the period the said arm is being vibrated.

20. In a highway signaling apparatus,- the light opening, of a signal lamp in said 0218- mg, a danger flag fulcrumed on the casing, means for imparting a succession of vibratory movements to the flag, and mechanism said signal lamp the danger flag.

.22. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a casing formed with a light opening, of a signal lamp in said casmg, a danger flag fulcrumed on the casing,

mechanism for imparting a succession of vibratory movements to the flag, and mechanism for automatically lighting said signal lamp intermittently during eabh Vibration of the signal flag.

signaling apparatus, the 75 support, of an arm dis- 35 easing, of an arm ful- 95 motor, cum mechanism driven by said motor for imparting a suc- 10 for causing the same to 11:0

23 In'a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a support of an arm which projects laterally from said support, a danger flag supported on said arm, a bell, a motor and two cams driven thereby at different speeds for vibrating said flag and ring-- ing sa'id bell;

24. In a highway signaling apparatus, the combination with a support of an arm which projects laterally from said support, :1 danger flag supported on saidarm, a bell and an electrical signal lamp, a motor and mechanism driven by said motor for imparting a series Ofyibrating movements to the flag, sounding the bell and making and breaking is the lampcircuit a plurality of times during each cycle of operation of the flag.

EUGENE w. VOGEL Witnesses:

G. Y. SKINNER, L. V. Rrva. 

